Sixth man charged in poker heist

Police have captured the last of six men sought in the Feb. 22 armed robbery of 11 poker players at a Wyoming-area country club that resulted in the arrest of a state trooper.

Manuel L. Gonzalez, 21, was arrested Thursday in a raid on his Glassboro, N.J., home in the 100 block of Winners Circle, state police said.

He was being held in the Gloucester County jail pending extradition to Delaware to face 11 counts of first-degree robbery, possession of a firearm during a felony, wearing a disguise during a felony, conspiracy and two counts of misdemeanor offensive touching.

Cpl. John Barnett Jr., a state police spokesman, said Gonzalez was one of five men who conspired with ex-state trooper HyunJin Kim, 27, to steal $10,000 from 11 people playing poker in the early morning hours at Wild Quail Country Club.

Kim, of Artis Drive in Dover, was dismissed from the state police in March after serving 21¼2 years with the agency.

He was arrested March 3 after being linked to the armed robbery by a video surveillance photo at a Camden-area Wal-Mart where red pillowcases police say were used in the heist were purchased.

Other evidence linked to the robbery was discovered at Kim's home.

Police said Kim was one of the poker players participating in the Thursday night card game when three masked men burst into the room, shrouded the players in red pillowcases, bound them and robbed them at gunpoint.

Two of the players were assaulted.

The thieves fled with $10,000 in cash, cell phones, credit cards and assorted house, car and business keys belonging to the victims.

Kim's arrest was followed by the March 21 arrests of his Army buddy, Jeffrey N. Powell, 30, and Powell's two brothers Addae, 26, and Akua, 22, all of the 5800 block of Arch Street in Philadelphia.

On March 24, a fifth suspect, Timothy Longstreth, 28, of Stone Harbor, N.J., was charged in the crime.

Barnett said that Gonzalez, the final suspect sought, is an acquaintance of Longstreth's.

News Added: 02 May, 2008

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